Prosecutors may be aiming for quick Trump trial by not naming alleged conspirators, experts say

Legal experts suggest that federal prosecutors, by choosing not to name or charge six reported co-conspirators in the recent indictment against former President Donald Trump, may be aiming for a swift trial. This strategy could potentially bring the leading Republican presidential candidate to trial promptly for his alleged attempts to invalidate the 2020 election results.

A larger pool of defendants would inevitably result in a greater number of defense attorneys, increased legal motions, and subsequent delays. This could make it extremely challenging for Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith to present Trump to a jury ahead of the crucial stages of the 2024 campaign, according to seasoned legal scholars and ex-prosecutors.

Christopher Ott, an ex-federal prosecutor, noted that refraining from naming and charging the co-conspirators would help keep the process streamlined. As each motion made by the defendants affects all others involved, including Trump, the trial could be slowed significantly.

Trump, now 77 years old, was indicted on felony charges of attempting to unlawfully invalidate the 2020 election results and disrupt the peaceful transition of power to President Joe Biden by a federal grand jury in Washington this Tuesday.

The four-fold indictment details a prolonged campaign by Trump and six anonymous co-conspirators to disseminate false information about the election outcome, resulting in a violent uprising at the U.S. Capitol.

The charges include conspiracy to defraud the U.S., conspiracy to obstruct an official procedure, obstruction of an official procedure, and violation of a law from the 1800s criminalizing conspiracies against constitutionally protected rights—in this case, the right to vote.

This marks the third occasion this year that Trump has been indicted. He was charged by a federal grand jury in Miami for unlawfully retaining highly classified documents. In New York, Trump faces criminal allegations related to a hush-money case and a civil trial concerning his business conduct.

Further charges could be expected in Georgia, where a county district attorney is investigating efforts by Trump and his allies to reverse his 2020 electoral defeat in the state.

The Tuesday indictment implies Trump was assisted by six unnamed co-conspirators in his effort to negate the election. Big Big News identified five of these through court and Congressional documents, among other sources:

• Lawyers Rudy Giuliani and John Eastman, labeled as “Co-Conspirator 1” and “Co-Conspirator 2”, respectively. Giuliani, one of Trump’s attorneys, was reportedly ready to spread demonstrably false election claims. Eastman is said to have proposed a strategy involving former Vice President Mike Pence rejecting the electoral vote certification.
• Attorney Sidney Powell, referred to as “Co-Conspirator 3”, promoted election conspiracy theories that Trump privately acknowledged as “crazy”.
• Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark, aka “Co-Conspirator 4”, supported Trump’s unfounded allegations of election fraud.
• “Co-Conspirator 5”, attorney Kenneth Chesebro, reportedly participated in the development and attempted execution of a plan to present deceptive elector slates and obstruct the certification procedure.
• “Co-Conspirator 6”, an unidentified political consultant, also assisted in the fraudulent electors’ plan.

By choosing not to charge these six individuals, legal experts believe that Smith and his team might be strategizing not just to expedite the proceedings before the 2024 election, but also under the pressure to secure a conviction before Trump or another Republican might win the presidency and halt the prosecution.

In an attempt to simplify the groundbreaking trial of a former president charged with attacking a core function of the U.S. federal government, Smith may have decided to focus solely on Trump for now.

“Four charges, one defendant, that’s all,” observed Jimmy Gurulé, a Notre Dame law professor.

Not charging the alleged co-conspirators at this stage does not guarantee their immunity. In fact, legal experts believe they stand a high chance of facing charges and subsequent trials, possibly after Trump’s case is heard.

Former federal prosecutor and law professor at George Washington University, Randall Eliason, stated, “They’re not necessarily free and clear. It’s merely a matter of timing and strategy. The prosecution is undeniably signaling, ‘You’re on my radar.'”

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More about Trump’s swift trial

• Donald Trump’s Indictment Details
• The 2024 Presidential Election
• Legal Strategy in High-Profile Trials
• Details on Trump’s Past Legal Challenges
• The Role of Co-Conspirators in Legal Cases
• Georgia’s Investigation into Trump